1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for supporting firearms during shooting, and more particularly concerns a portable shooter's bench rest useful for the accurate firing of rifles or handguns.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Shooting benches are generally cumbersome, large, and usually attached to the ground or a concrete foundation. Such features are considered desirable since they provide a steady, motionless rest for the shooter. However, these rests are of little, or no utility in uses other than at a target or practice range. While other rests have been designed for use in zeroing or sighting firearms, or for use in hunting or home practice situations, they do not provide the degree of support needed for accurate shooting, and are cumbersome to transport.
Several portable shooter's bench rests have been disclosed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,082 to Phillips et al. discloses a rifle shooting bench having a horizontal upper member supported by collapsible, braced legs. Only one support point is provided, namely a support for the barrel portion of the firearm. The stock portion of the firearm is supported by the shooter. U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,029 discloses a rifle carrying case that also serves as a shooter's bench. A gun rest is provided for supporting the forward portion of the rifle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,086 to Rickling discloses a portable bench rest shooting stand which employs clamping means for the rear portion of a rifle, and a rest for receiving the front portion of the rifle. The apparatus is of complex construction and does not appear suitable fop use with handguns.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,616 to Bell concerns a portable firearm rest having a fore rest whose height is treadably adjustable, and an aft rest that requires a threadably adjustable attachment to accommodate handguns.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a portable recoil-absorbing shooter's bench rest.
It is another object of this invention to provide a bench rest of the aforesaid nature having features of adjustability to accommodate rifles and handguns.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bench rest of the aforesaid nature having fore and aft rests permitting variable horizontal spacing therebetween.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a bench rest of the aforesaid nature wherein fore and aft rests are capable of quick and easy vertical adjustment.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a bench rest of the aforesaid nature of simple, durable construction amenable to low cost manufacture.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.